Shredded by the Scousers

SHREDDED BY THE SCOUSERS

(Image taken from Manutd.com)

Well we'd already faced Liverpool in the Premiership before this season and after taking the lead, we fell to a 2-1 defeat at Anfield. Results like that though, were simply par for the course in the early stages of the season. Since then, well first we got back into the title race and now the Premiership title is pretty much ours to lose! For the Scousers well they're still one of two teams that 'might' challenge us as they headed to Old Trafford, that looked to be a long shot. The match itself was surely going to be the toughest league encounter we had left. For us it was Carrick and Anderson in central nidfield, Park left mid and Rooney and Tevez up front.

Well United certainly had the better start of the two teams but the Scousers were soon matching us and the early stages proved to be nervy, with Rafa Benitez's crew certainly not lacking confidence after their Champions League glory midweek. And yet it was the Scousers that conceeded a 23rd minute penalty which Ronaldo was happy to slot. And yet somehow in the 28th minute Fernando Torres was allowed through our defence so easilly I first thought he'd been played offside. The goal counted though. And then in the 44th minute the Scousers completed the turnaround when United conceded a penalty, Steven Gerrard found the net. Not what Fergie would have had in mind but the match was still retrievable.

United turned up the pace in the second half and as a result pretty much dominated in terms of territory and chances. Finding the net proved to be another matter entirely however and it was only a matter of time before the Scousers got back to attacking themselves. United brought on fresh legs, but then we found ourselves down to ten men and the Scousers poured salt into that wound with Fabio Aurellio firing in a 77th minute freekick. At that point I think pretty much every United fan was just waiting for the final whistle so we could move on with the rest of the day, Andrea Dossena's run through our defence in injury time resulting in Scouse goal number four barely registered.

Elsewhere, Chelsea faced Man City at Stamford Bridge. Michael Essien opened the scoring for Chelsea but although the Blues certainly looked the better side in the second half, their inability to grab a second goal left them looking vulnerable at the interval. Even more chances came the home side's way in the second half but again none of them found the net and though City never looked a serious threat, Guus Hiddink was left dissapointed despite the three points. Despite everything though United are still top of the Premiership though their lead over second placed Chelsea has been cut to four points with a game in hand. Nothing to panic about yet though.

North of the border, Aberdeen faced Hamilton at Pittodrie in the SPL. Well the Dons early attacking paid off when Maguire scorched one in for his first goal of the season. The Dons could have made it two before half time with the Accies providing only a minimal threat. The Dons then could have had a penalty in the second half but nothing doing and the latter stages of the match became a Dons show. However that second goal never matierialised. Even so it was a relief just to see the Dons winning again for what was the first time this month and the first time in the SPL since Janurary. Could this be the foundation for a run back into the Europa League?

Well elsewhere, Dundee United faced Motherwell at Fir Park. John Sutton opened the scoring for the home side in what proved to be a pretty even first half untill the goal, Well blowing a chance to get a second goal before half time. They looked to regret their mercy in the second half when the visitors equalised through Francisco Sandaza. Well always looked like a good bet to regain their lead though and they did just that when David Clarkson hit what turned out to be the winner. That allows the Dond to move up to 4th in the SPL, giving them a Europa League spot. They're still level on points with Dundee United and a non-Europe spot but do have a +2 goal difference advantage and are also seventeen points with a game in hand behind Rangers and a Champions League preliminaries spot but that's mission impossible.

The big headlines in Scotland though were going to be made at the CIS Insurance Cup final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park. Celtic had the early chances but Rangers were also up for the match with Kyle Lafferty giving the Greens something to think about. The game started to even out in the second half, but it weas also going slightly flat and just when the Gers were starting on another attack the final whistle blew. However only one team could take home the Cup so this latest chapter in the Old Firm rivalry had to go to extra time. At stake was the bragging rights of claiming the first Scottish trophy of the season in the midst of an SPL title race.

Well in extra time it was the Celts that had the opening attack from that Irishman Darren O'Dea was the man to draw first blood in this contest. After that the Gers didn't look like responding but the Celts weren't able to get a second before half time. The Greens kept attacking in the second half, resulting in a penalty which Aiden Mc Geady put away. After that, the Gers just didn't have time to put up any kind of fight, this trophy had green ribbons on it. Congratulations to Gordon Strachen's men. Celtic win the CIS Insurance Cup for the first time since '06 in what was Strachen's first season at Celtic Park with Dion Dublin of all people on the scoresheet for the Celts that day.